Flounder, Yellowtail – U.S. Southern New England and Mid Atlantic

Yellowtail Flounder is a fast growing flatfish that produces many young and reaches a maximum size of 22 inches and 2 lbs. Yellowtail Flounder occur in the Northwest Atlantic from northern Newfoundland to the lower part of the Chesapeake Bay.

The Yellowtail Flounder populations in southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions are currently at healthy abundances.

Bottom trawls are the primary fishing gear used to catch Yellowtail Flounder. Bottom trawls damage the seafloor and catch other depleted or endangered species, like sea turtles.

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Fish Key:

Species has a combination of problems such as overfishing, high bycatch, and poor management.

Some problems exist with this species' status or catch methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.

Species is relatively abundant, and fishing methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.

A fishery targeting this species has been certified as sustainable and well managed to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard. Learn more at http://www.msc.org.

These fish contain levels of mercury or PCBs that may pose a health risk to adults and children. Our source of information is http://seafood.edf.org/. We also recommend that you check local advisories.